


Morpheus

by IsisKitsune



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, Mama!Reid, Protectiveness, kitten fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-13
Updated: 2013-01-13
Packaged: 2017-11-25 07:57:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/636769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsisKitsune/pseuds/IsisKitsune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reid finds an orphaned kitten...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Morpheus

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this awhile back but never posted it...
> 
> Originally written in chapters but since I use a 'copy paste' method I'm not dealing with posting it as multiple chapters. *sigh* sorry

Spencer was walking back from the coffee shop, sipping on one of his guilty pleasures, still trying to figure out what exactly Jill put in it to make it so damn good. She’s told him everything in it, just not the amounts, claiming it’s a family secret. Try as he might, he just couldn’t figure out how to duplicate it…

Okay, it was getting dark. Reid winced, pure instinct of course, when there was a loud boom. It was going to rain; he needed to get back to his apartment before the downpour. “Meeeeew,” a confused look came over his face as he walked by an alley. There was an even softer sound, this time making him move toward the dark alleyway. He gulped when he heard it again, this time it sounded desperate. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before stepping out of the light from the street and into the dark alley.

“MeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEeeeew,” Reid winced at the pitch, the poor thing sounded in pain. He positively jumped when something rustled next to his foot, making him drop his little slice of heaven in a cup. Cold coffee, flavoring and whipped cream sprayed across the alley as it hit the ground. “Meeeew,” was called almost questioning as the ground rustled again, a small mussed creature was squirming toward a glob of nearby cream.

Reid sighed in relief as the black ball of fluff mewed again and jerked back at the feel of cold on its noise before licking at it and dipping it back in. “You scared me little guy,” Reid blinked as the tiny head shot toward his voice before it tried started squirming and mewing again, this time louder and more desperate. “It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you. Where’s your momma?” Reid picked up the little squirming mass and frowned when it looked so small in his hand. He looked at it sadly when he realized its eyes weren’t even open yet. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you find her,” the little kitten was just so content to snuggle up in his hand and mew at him, though this time it sounded less heartbreaking than previous. Reid looked around the alleyway, he couldn’t find any evidence of a momma cat or other kittens anywhere. “I’ll guess you’ll have to come home with me for tonight,” he said as it started to rain.

Problem one, he couldn’t leave the little guy alone. “MEEEeeeEEEEEEEW! MeeeeeEEEEEEW!” Just trying to set him down on the counter so he could keep an eye on him while he looked for an eye dropper or something that could be used as one would cause the most mournful sounds to erupt from that tiny mouth. It’d continue until Reid broke and picked him up or go on until he’d start squirming around, tiny nose just a twitching, trying to find his ‘momma’.

“I can’t find the stuff I need to take care of you if I’m constantly holding you,” Reid pleaded at the tiny purring ball of fluff in his hand. “Alright, fine, I need to go to the store to find you something to eat… maybe a heating pad,” was added once his brain caught up with what it was in his hand. A tiny, nearly newborn kitten, without a momma or a litter to keep warm with his temperature was no doubt worryingly low. “I’ll have to take you with me, hmm a pet store, what’s open this time of night?”

The kitten was too happy curling up in his hand to even attempt assistance as Reid tried to figure out how it was going to work with him driving and keeping the kitten warm…

**Chapter2**

Reid watched, worried, as the vet tech carefully took the tiny kitten from the warm nest he had made using a towel and heating pat. “She’s very young, she looks undersized.”

Reid coughed, “Um, it’s a male ma’am, I know that much. His eyes haven’t even tried opening.” At his voice the kitten started mewing and trying to squirm toward him. “It’s okay, the nice lady is just going to make sure you’re healthy. She might even find a nice momma cat that won’t mind keeping you warm…”

The tech smiled, knowing instantly that regardless the outcome the nice doctor would take the kitten home with him when it was old enough to leave their foster mom. “Would you like to meet our momma? She’s a little old but she still knows how to take care of kittens.”

“I’d, like that very much, thank you.” Reid smiled as he followed her back to the kennels.

“This is Stacy,” she introduced as she opened the gate, a half dozen kittens were scrambling over a content looking cat who was watching them with half lidded eyes. “I’ve got a new little one for you Stacy,” the little black kitten was set down within reach of the warmth coming from mom and babies, making him squirm towards it mewing softly.

Reid noticed it before the tech did, the softest twitch of Stacy’s ear before her paw swung out. His hands wrapped around the kitten just before she hissed and clawed at him. “Ah,” he pulled away, still protecting the kitten, the backs of his hands bleeding from where the claws had dug into skin. “I don’t think I’ll leave him in her care,” he said while he felt the kitten squirming inside his closed hands. “Are you okay?” He received tiny mews when he opened his hand, smiling when the kitten latched onto one of his fingers to suckle at it. “You’re hungry already? I forgot how much something so tiny can eat.”

“Well, since Stacy doesn’t seem to like him, I can’t imagine why, I suppose if you want to keep him, as long as he’s taken care of…”

Reid smiled at the kitten still nibbling at his finger, “I’ll take care of him.”

“Good! I’ve got some papers I can get you on what to watch out for with him being so young and what all you need to take care of him. With as small as he is, we’re not sure of his age so keep track of how long it takes for his eyes to open,” Reid just nodded, not really paying attention though storing away every word said as he smiled down at the kitten falling asleep in his hands. “Oh, and here,” Reid blinked at the box held out for him. “These are a lot better than the ones you got from the pet store.” He smiled at the nursing formula and bottles as well as sterilizing solutions for them before blinking at the bottle next to it. “That’s for fleas, since he’s so small and you found him on the street you need to make sure he doesn’t have any on him. Just follow the instructions on everything and you should be fine. Oh! And get a scale, one that measures ounces, to keep up with how much he’s gained and formula changes. Once his eyes open we can get a timeline started as to when to get him started weaning.”

“Okay, thank you,” Reid smiled, too happy being able to properly help his little charge to care about how bad the charge was as he handed over his card. Walking out of the vet clinic with a tiny purring bundle in his arm and a box full of equipment and papers in the other, he headed for his car to take his little kitten home.

It’d been a long day and, after making sure the kitten was fed, de-flea-ed and bathed, Reid settled the little squirming bundle in his nest. He didn’t like having to keep the little guy in the pet carrier but he didn’t want him squirming around or even falling out of something so he made sure his little heating pad was a nice warm 90 degrees and his little surrogate litter mate (a no-stuffing dog toy he’d picked up knowing it would be safe for the kitten to be around once washed) was snuggled up nice and close to the contently sleeping kitten before dragging himself to bed. Too bad he kept eyeing the carrier next to his coffee table worrying that he wouldn’t hear him if he woke up hungry. He moved to pick up the carrier and then thought better of it. He’d sleep heavy if he was in his own bed, provided the nightmares stayed away. He decided on grabbing a blanket and sleeping on the couch, the little carrier door pointed toward him so it could help funnel the sound to him. Well, his theory proved right, it worked. The bad news was, every 3 hours like clockwork he’d wake up to the little cries for food, attention, heat. It got bad enough that around 2 am Reid just decided to forgo the carrier and curl up on the couch, the kitten happily nested against his chest purring and sleeping the rest of the night through.

**Chapter3**

Reid jerked awake at the sound of his alarm, he groaned the moment the little creature in his hands squirmed then started crying. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” that was his work alarm, what was he going to do about the kitten? “Maybe… maybe if I’m lucky and you look really cute Hotch will let me keep you at my desk. If we don’t have a case,” Reid was still fussing over finding the kitten’s bottle when he looked down at the tiny kitten happily suckling and pawing at his fingers. He knew he’d never be able to leave the little guy, not while he was still so alone. “I’ll have to ask him if I can take the day off. Maybe he’ll have an option I’m just too sleep deprived to see?” Sleep deprivation, poor excuse but at that moment it seemed the only one. He was just too mentally frazzled worrying about being able to take care of the tiny kitten now getting milk all over himself to think. “Easy, don’t choke,” Reid did as the papers suggested and pulled the bottle back enough that the kitten had to fight a little to get the milk, he smiled as the little guy gladly overcame the challenge.

“Hotch, it’s Reid. Uh, is there any way I can have a few days personal time? I know it’s really short notice but something came up and,” Reid smirked at the first thing that came into the team lead’s head, “No, no my mother’s fine. I’m alright too, it’s just that… I doubt the BAU would want me take an orphaned kitten into work with me.” Reid heard a chuckle, “Call me if you need help on a case or something, I might be needed here but I’m still fully capable in helping from a distance.”

“Just take care of your little bundle Spencer,” Hotch was laughing, it made Reid smile tiredly.

“Okay, I better go, I need to make sure he doesn’t have a stomach ache from eating so much.”

“What’s his name?”

“I… I don’t know… I, hadn’t thought to…”

“Well, when you do think of one, let me know. Garcia is already bouncing trying to figure out what I’m talking about.”

Reid laughed, unconsciously patting the little fussing kitten on the back until he heard a loud squeak. He blinked when the kitten stopped fussing and settled into the petting. So that’s what a kitten burp sounds like… “I really do need to go Hotch, I need to take care of… the kitten, I just fed him.” Hotch was chuckling from the other side of the line before agreeing to call him if there was a case and hanging up. “Time to get your tummy taken care of so you don’t have any issues.” Reid smiled at the happily mewing kitten then blinked when he say the smallest shimmer between the kitten’s eyelids. His eyes were starting to open. “I need a name for you,” he mumbled as he headed toward the sink, the deep basin allowed for easier maneuvering and easier clean up once he’d gotten the kitten to do his… business.

Reid was lying on his couch, absently stroking the purring bundle that had fallen asleep on his chest while reading a book on domestic cat breeds. Every now and then he’d look down at the sleeping kitten, wondering what color its eyes were or how big its ears would get once they unfolded. It would help him determine what breed it was closest to. Soon the book slipped from his hand as he started falling asleep, little kitten still protectively held to his chest.

**Chapter4**

“Spencer, I know you’re still looking after that kitten but we need you on this case,” Reid was dreading this call but knew it was inevitable. Hotch was silent on the other end of the line as if waiting for an answer to a question he never asked.

“Okay, I… I guess I’ll have to take him with me. I can’t, I can’t leave him with the vet because the cat they have fostering the orphans has already tried to attack him. Do, do you think it’ll be okay?”

“I’ll make sure it’s okay, just be here in 20,” Reid nodded at the dead phone before shoving it in his pocket and starting to scramble through a list of what all he would need.

Once his messenger bag was full of supplies he’d need, Reid picked up the kitten that had been attempting to open his eyes enough to make out what was blocking his attempt to escape the pillows confining him to a small square on the couch. “Come on, we’re going on a trip,” Reid smiled at the kitten jerked toward his voice with a surprised mew at being picked up before he curled up in his hand to take a nap.

“Alright Reid, spill,” Reid hadn’t even made it to his desk; he was ambushed by Morgan and Prentiss.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

“Garcia heard Hotch talking to you the other day. What’s this about a ‘bundle’?”

Reid blinked at Prentiss’s excited congratulations while Morgan patted him on the back, confusing him even worse when he said, “So, who’s the lucky lady that finally turned our little genius into a man?”

Reid blinked hard enough that his eyes hurt, “Excuse me?”

“You know, the mother?” Prentiss knuckled Morgan’s arm to tell him to cut the teasing.

“Oh, well, I couldn’t find her so I had to take care of him,” Reid shrugged at the two mortified expressions before his pocket chose then to squirm and mew at him. “I know, it’s your feeding time,” Morgan and Prentiss’s jaws were both on the floor when he fished the tiny kitten out of his pocket while walking around them toward his desk to assemble his little arsenal of supplies.

“Have you thought of a name for him yet?” Hotch asked as he smiled down at Reid expertly fussing with a bottle of formula for the mewing kitten.

“I’ve only had him for three days… I haven’t had time to think of names. I’m usually sleeping when he isn’t crying, wanting attention or needing fed.” The little kitten was happily trying to grip the bottle end between his little paws the moment the nipple brushed his mouth. He smiled when he heard soft purring, “Did you know that the domesticated housecat is the only feline physically capable of continuous purring? Well, yes there are big cats that are still able to produce the sound but it’s only when they exhale. It seems because of this that domesticated cats are incapable of roaring while their larger cousins are known for it.”

Hotch smiled and patted his shoulder, “No time for baby names but still time for history lessons?”

Reid blinked, confused, “I had to know about cats so I could take care of him.”

“Do you think he’ll be done soon? We’ve got a flight to catch.”

Reid nipped at his lip, watching the kitten, “He’ll be done by the time we get on the plane…”

“Good,” Hotch smiled as Reid somehow held the nursing kitten and repacked his messenger bag before throwing it over his shoulder and grabbing his go bag.

Reid held the fussy kitten as they took off, “I know, it’ll be okay, as soon as we take off I’ll fix it.” He cooed at the kitten while trying to get him to burp to help the discomfort of a full stomach as well as bladder.

“What’s wrong with him?” Morgan asked as Reid smiled when the kitten let out a squeak of sound.

“He has to go to the bathroom is all,” Reid attempted to keep the still fussy kitten contained as the plane started rising. The kitten let out a screaming mew and tried to burrow into his shirt. “It’s okay, I know it’s scary.” The moment they leveled out Reid was out of his belt and headed for the bathroom to take care of the rest of the kitten’s needs.

The team all looked at each other, smirking, at Reid now passed out on the couch at the back of the plane, case file across his lap open and unread as arms shifted toward his chest to protect the little kitten happily curled up there. “Well, this might be more difficult that I thought,” Reid shifted in his sleep at the voice, effectively disrupting the file and causing pictures and papers to scatter to the floor.

Hotch was trying to force himself not to smile at the tiny kitten head lifted toward him, little tail trying to puff up at him when he went to wake Reid. “Reid, we’re about to land, you better buckle up.”

Reid mumbled in his sleep and shifted, taking the protective kitten with him to hold it close while it mewed and squirmed at being startled, “It’s okay, go back to sleep.”

Hotch chuckled, making Reid jerk and blink at him, “We’re about to land.”

Reid sat upright in a hurry, belting in just as the plane started to descend. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” The kitten chose then to mew loudly at Hotch before holding his head toward him. “He wants you to pet him.”

Hotch chuckled, “I know.” Reid twitched, desperately wanting to warn him to be careful but blinked when a soft nuzzle against the kitten had him purring loud enough for them to hear him.

**Chapter5**

Rossi chuckled at Reid, who was sitting at his desk working. The young agent looked completely absorbed in his work even as his left hand protectively drapped over the kitten mewing and trying to chew on his fingers. “Still no name?”

Reid blinked up at him like he’d just appeared out of thin air, “Huh? Oh, no, I haven’t really been thinking of one…” The kitten mewed and pawed at fingers now wrapping around him to pick him up.

“You should, a name is a good tool for a pet owner, how is he going to know when you’re addressing him?”

“True,” Reid frowned at the little kitten now tumbled onto its back when it swung its tail too hard while trying to stand up. He blinked when tiny blue eyes opened to look up at him for the first time before the kitten reared back and started mewing desperately. “Now now, no need to cry, I’m right here,” Reid smiled when the kitten’s head swung back toward him jerkily. The newly opened eyes seemed to focus on him before a well known mewing started up as he tried to squirm closer. “Alright alright, I know, feeding time.”

“Well he certainly knows his mama,” Rossi smiled as Reid blinked at him before leaving the young man to take care of his hungry baby.

Morgan laughed making Reid blink at him, “What? If you were tiny, furry and black and you suddenly looked up at a scrawny hairless giant white man you’d be screaming for your mama too.”

Reid blinked, “I’m not hairless… or a giant.”

“To him you are.”

Reid frowned as Morgan went back to work before lifting up the little kitten to look at him, “You don’t think I’m a giant, do you?” The kitten mewed and pawed at his shifting hair, making him smile and forget what he was thinking about

“Reid,” Reid jerked when Prentiss shook his shoulder, instinctively clutching the kitten closer to him protectively. “Hey, shift’s over, time to go home. Keep falling asleep like that kid and they’re liable to let you stay home from now on.” Reid rubbed his eyes, smiling apologetically as he yawned and reached for his bag. “So, how’s the little hellion?” Reid shook his head and cuddled the still, somehow, sleeping kitten to his chest. “Still no name? Hmm, maybe you should name him hellion.”

“Emily, I’m not naming anything that… And no, he still doesn’t have a name.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you find a name for him.”

Reid groaned, he wasn’t sure he liked where this was leading.

From that day on Prentiss always threw at least three names at him a day.

**Chapter6**

By the start of week two Prentiss was starting to repeat herself, “Emily, you’ve already suggested Pluto… Twice,” Reid sighed as the still nameless kitten attempted to stalk his pen as he set it on his desk. The little guy was in the ball park of 13 days old and he was already trying to run on still shaky legs. The books all say 3 weeks, not 2 before they started playing but he smiled hopeful that the kitten was just a cut above. Making up for a rough start as it were.

“I did?”

“Day 2 and day 5, I’m still trying to figure out how you forgot about it so quickly…”

“I’m not exactly writing these down Spencer, I’m just trying to pick something that suits him.”

“Then stop trying, I’m sure it’ll come to me when he’s old enough that I’m not constantly worrying about him getting lost or injured.”

“Spencer, that’s not going to be for a long time…” Prentiss smirked but gave up for the day, leaving Reid confused but thankfully alone with the small kitten now tumbling over his hand when he forgot to put his paws in front of him as he climbed over it.

Reid just smiled at the confused kitten trying to get back to his feet and petting across a half uncurled ear. “If those get any bigger they’re going to take over your head.” In response the kitten just nuzzled his hand and started suckling at his finger, finally tired from his exploring and stalking and just wanting to be close to mama.

“Spencer,” Reid jolted up, earning a loud mewing from the kitten clinging to his chest before he caught the poor thing. “We’ve got a case,” Hotch said without reprimanding him for falling asleep. Least that was a perk…

**Chapter7**

The case was a rough one, mentally if not physically. It brought up a lot of bad memories that sometimes threatened to have the young doctor reaching for a bottle of pills in hopes that they would calm the panic trying to well in his chest. Each time he glanced at the bottle he hadn’t touched since… He didn’t want to think about it right then, he’d end up downing most of them just to try to kill the panic faster. “Mew,” Reid blinked at the little kitten as it scrambled out of hiding on the table.

“Hey, what are you doing there? I thought I left you with Garcia,” Reid knelt down by his messenger bag where the tiny kitten was scrambling out from under the flap. “Oh… she’s going to be worried. Come on, let’s call her to let her know you’re okay.”

“Mew,” the kitten had his head held high in pride as Reid picked him up and held him to his chest. Reid didn’t even realize his heart wasn’t pounding anymore.

-

Reid sat back in the plane, waiting for takeoff and smiling at the kitten that seemed to deem itself big enough to ride on his knee. He just smiled when he started whining softly when the plane started moving before bracing himself against Reid’s chest when the angle made it harder for him to stay still. “Mew!”

Reid chuckled and grabbed the kitten once takeoff was over, “Yeah, I saw, you did it.” That got him purring and tiny whiskers rubbing his hand as he petted across the tired kitten. “Thanks for being a stow away.” He got a head tilt, “I don’t think I could sleep if you weren’t here.” The little kitten just mewed at him and started climbing his shirt until he resolved to holding the kitten to his chest and tilting the seat back so he wouldn’t keep falling. “Alright, alright, nap time.”

“Mew,” was softly responded as the kitten turned into a tiny fluffy ball.

“I think I figured out a name for him…” Reid said as he turned to try to address Prentiss, who was toward the back of the plane.

“Oh?”

“Morpheus,” the kitten tilted its head up at his voice, blinking before going back to sleep with soft purring.

“Morpheus? Why that?”

“I… I haven’t had a bad dream since I found him. Silly I know,” Reid got a mew as the kitten watched him with darkening eyes. “Seems you’re not going to be blue eyed much longer.”

The kitten showed no sign of caring, he just climbed up under Reid’s chin to whine softly. “Alright, alright,” Prentiss was confused until she heard an odd purring, much similar to a snore than anything as Spencer fell asleep.

 


End file.
